The Execution
|Season = 2 |Antagonist = Judge Arbus |Setting = Greece |In-Universe Date = Year 2 |Production # = V0218 |Filming Dates = 30 January to 7 February 1997 |Original Air-Date = |Written By = Paul Robert Coyle |Story By = |Teleplay By = |Directed By = Garth Maxwell |Order in Series = 41 of 134 |Order in Season = 17 of 22 |Order in Franchise= 100 of 304 |Prev Episode in Series = "For Him the Bell Tolls" |Next Episode in Series = "Blind Faith" |Prev Episode in Franchise = "Les Contemptibles" |Next Episode in Franchise = "Reign of Terror" |title cap image = }} Gabrielle and Xena go to visit Meleager the Mighty, the warrior who saved Gabrielle's village, only to discover that he is on trial for murder. Xena senses that there is more to this than meets the eye, and sets out on her own little mission. She then realises she is more involved than she thinks. Summary Xena and Gabrielle astride Argo, heading for a small village. Meleager the Mighty had sent for Gabrielle. The town was empty for the most part when they arrived. Gabrielle mentioned Meleager and suddenly several men came after Xena and Gabrielle. Meleager was on trial for "cold blooded murder." He was found guilty. Gabrielle made a plea for his life, to no avail. He told Gabrielle that he was not guilty and that he had a witness who could attest to that. So she set him free, and he ran. Xena went after him; she and Gabrielle,on Argo, with Gabrielle screaming "Run Meleager" while Xena was trying to catch him. She did catch him, of course. On the return trip someone ambushed the three of them, and Xena decided not to take Meleager back right away. Meleager then confessed he might have killed the man; he had been drunk and did not know if he had killed him or not. Gabrielle was mad at Meleager for lying to her; he apologized. Then Xena realized that SHE had killed the man in question, while Gabrielle was at the Athens Academy, because he was an assassin; apparently he'd just stumbled to the bar and no one realized he'd fallen on his own sword. So Xena went in search of the man the assassin was trying to kill. The judge's men came and took Meleager and Gabrielle away; Meleager was hanged. The judge, it turned out, was crooked and had set this trial and others. Xena had actually saved Meleager, but Gabrielle didn't know this. She was crying in the dungeon when Xena and Meleager went to get her. All was forgiven. Disclaimer By popular demand "The Executioner" will bring back his comfortable lightweight cotton-flax blend robe in a variety of spring colors. Background Information * Tim Thomerson first appeared as Meleager the Mighty in the season 1 episode "The Prodigal", when Gabrielle returned to Potidaea to confront her fears and instead helped Meleager defend her village, thus becoming friends in the process. *Final appearance of Meleager. *When Meleager tells Gabrielle why he lied about being innocent, he says that he didn't want her to know that he had started drinking again. This is a reference to the events in "The Prodigal" (season 1, episode 18), where Meleager overcomes his drinking habits in time to save Gabrielle's home town Poteidaia. But Xena then later states that the event in question, when Meleager got drunk and (thought he) killed a man, took place while Gabrielle was at the Athens Academy and Xena travelled alone for a while. This is a reference to "Athens City Academy of the Performing Bards" (season 1, episode 13), meaning that the event in question took place BEFORE Gabrielle met Meleager in Poteidaia. Guest Stars References *Hercules People Gods Places Other Season Navigation de:Ein Sieg für die Gerechtigkeit Category:XWP Season 2 episodes